ezdays spring 07 scratchbuild challenge

[ezdays]

I just thought I'd kick things off. As usual, I'm not prepared to post a picture yet since I haven't made up my mind what I want to build. I've kicked around a few ideas and have had a few suggestions. And for those of you that suggested it, thank you, but no, I do not plan on going to see a shrink. Yes, I know, everyone else is out to get me and try to beat me on this challenge and the competition is going to be fierce, but I'll cope with it in my own way, even though I do understand that Tony Soprano's shrink will be available at the end of this season. No, I really don't have the feeling that I want to whack the competition.. not yet anyway...

Hang in there, I'll post something meaningful in the next few days.

[ezdays]

OK, so I've been a bit slow getting started but I've got at least a dozen excuses as to why. The formost one is that I couldn't decide what to build. Well, everyone can use a grain elevator on their layout and so I guess that's a good choice since I don't have one on mine yet, so that's my choice for this challenge.

There's an old flour mill at the beginning of.... Mill Ave.... in downtown Tempe, Arizona. It's been there for over 100 years and was originally called the Hayden Flour Mill. The first one was built in the late 1800's and was replace around 1908 after a fire burned the original down. I remember it back in the 50's and 60's when I was going to school there with a big "Arizona Rose Flour" sign in the side. It closed early in the 90's and is on the historical register. Transients caused a fire there a few years ago, but the elevator and buildings are poured concrete and the only damage was to the interior. They plan on turning it into condos one of these days, but for now, this is how it looks. I'll do the storage elevator and that small outbuilding. There are a few larger buildings that don't show in these pictures, but they wouldn't add anything to my layout so I don't intend to build them. I found a drawing on the net that shows the hight of the main structure to be just about 160', which works great since I'm doing it in N scale. If I can find any old pictures that show some signage, I'll post some links.

[stripes]

Wow, that looks like quite the project!! If you can do that by June first, run this forum, work and family you are a better man than I !!

[TrainNut]

I can't wait to see where you are going to put this piece. I'm thinkin' it'll probably go around on the left section (the new part). Right? What are you thinkin' your going to use for the tubes?
Also, interesting article... http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=83995

[TrainNut]

Also, don't know if this will help or not but for what it's worth...

[ezdays]

That's a great shot, I couldn't find anything from the air. Not sure if this one was taken from the butt or a plane, but it does give me some info on the silo roof system.

I found some 5/8" PVC pipe at Home Depot that I hope will be about the right diameter. That comes to just about a scale 8' which looks about right.

I've read several articles on the history and restoration plans, and even found several drawings of a proposed project.

[woodone]

You can see where the RR tracks serviced the mill in this aerial shot. Good view!

[cnw1961]

Don, ambitous project. I am looking forward to see your progress.
I found some more pics of your elevator (just in case you haven’t found them already):
http://www.grainelevatorphotos.com/p..._az_012612.jpg
http://photos.travisswicegood.com/d/...sunset_001.jpg
http://www.tempe.gov/comdev/images/A...se%20Flour.jpg
Hayden Flour Mill + Silos* HP#26

[ezdays]

Originally Posted by cnw1961

Don, ambitous project. I am looking forward to see your progress.
I found some more pics of your elevator (just in case you haven’t found them already):
http://www.grainelevatorphotos.com/p..._az_012612.jpg
http://photos.travisswicegood.com/d/...sunset_001.jpg
http://www.tempe.gov/comdev/images/A...se%20Flour.jpg
Hayden Flour Mill + Silos* HP#26

Thanks, those are great shots and give me a bit more prospective. I'm looking for one that has the sign "Arizona Rose Flour" along the side of the silos along with the picture of a rose. That was there during the 60's and later, as far as I can remember.

[ezdays]

Yep, one small step, but that's how one starts on a journey. Here's my first glue-up. After much juggling with the scale, I determined that 160:1 was still too big for my layout. That would have made it 12" tall and about 11" long, so I scaled it down even more. I'm now at 266:1 bringing it in at about 7 1/2" tall and 7" long. It will become a background piece for my N scale layout...

[ezdays]

The next step was to rough cut the sides and glue up the tower. Not much progress, but here's the next step anyway, just to show you that I am sincere in moving ahead with this project.

[bigsteel]

looking good so far man ,i definatley wanna see this thing done! --josh

[ezdays]

Some progress. Initial paint before the windows go in and I added the silo roof and roof structure. Both pieces are still separate until I get the window in and maybe some of the details put on. I was kinda dreading the silo roof because one side is sculpted to fit the silos and the other side is straight. That took a while to do.

[steamhead]

Hey Don...Looking good..!! What's the function of the sqware tower..?? I ask 'cause the corners are rounded...Is there some grain storage here as well..??

Gotta get back to mine...Spent the whole weekend working on my car....

[steamhead]

Ooopsss..."square"..